ひとめ刺し | Hitomezashi | Single Stab Stitch | Pattern #16

Hitome-sashi/zashi (One Stab Stitch) is a type of Sashiko stitching.[1] Sashiko stitching being the famous white on blue technique of almost embroidery. The stitch makes up a geometric pattern from these white running stitches, sometimes wide sometimes miniscule to decorate or repair fabrics in a grid pattern.[2] As a task, Sashiko is said to be both therapeutic and time-consuming requiring a great deal of patience and concentration. Hitomezashi derives mostly from the practical applications of Sashiko and therefore was historically used for work uniforms, today it is mostly for repairing old clothstuffs. Many older examples come from Noragi (  野良着 | Workcoats) and Sashiko no Donzu (Fishermens coats) that have survived.[4]

Hitomezashi was originally used by Heimin as a way to mend old farming and fishermens textiles like Hemp or Ramie from the North of Japan, from around the Yamagata to Hokkaido areas.[1][4] Items started out life as Kosode, then became bags, aprons and cleaning rags.[4] Between 1600 - 1850, a majority of the working classes produced their own textiles due to the expense of buying new fabrics. It is thought that decorative stitches such as Hitomezashi originated as an ergonomic way to mend, fill in and layer fabrics for winter, becoming decorative through processes such as Tsukuroi-Sashi ( 繕いー刺し｜Darning Sashiko) by using undyed thread and repeatedly Darning older textiles into new ones every year. These skills were taught in school and at home to the children of farmers and fishermen.[4] Hitomezashi also spread around Japan byway of major trade routes like the Tokaido.[2][3]

Hitomezashi (c1850[2017], PD) Mr Bolton

During the Meiji period with the increase of Japan Inc, Japanese culture spread globally. Thus when agricultural workers moved to Hawaii, they took Hitomezashi with them, using it to repair their work clothes there, spreading the textile.[5] It may have also spread to Continental North America and other countries in the British Empire as it was popular during the 70's and 80's to adopt Japanese adjacent techniques among the middle class as an domestic Aestheticism (1868-1899) embroidery technique. In Japan with the promulgation of the industrialization efforts of Meiji Japan, Japan Inc. began to introduce new fabrics by 1870, making cotton available for those in Northern Japan.[3] In 1884, 'Sanitary Dress' was sent by the Japanese Government to display Health in the Workplace at the Health Exhibition. In the Exhibition  (likely Hitomezashi), Sashiko was displayed to showcase how Mens uniforms (Hakama) were made in Japan.[6] 

By the beginning of the 20th century however, Hitomezashi began to fall out of usage in favour of modern textiles flashy textiles. Meisen became more popular and workwear often became Tsumugi and  other wools as Japan Inc expanded in the 1910s and 20s.[7] Whilst Hitomezashi fell out of widespread use by the 1950s due to the import of quilting, older generations still held onto and used the technique. Northern Japanese communities still practice and teach Sashiko classes, a practice around since at least the 1990s. In the modern day, Kogin (another type of Sashiko) developed from Hitomezashi stitch.[4]

Bibliography

[1] Sashiko 365: Stitch a new sashiko embroidery pattern every day of the year, Susan Briscoe, 2022, p.5 | https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fyqdEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT6&dq=sashiko+farmers&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjp59Wyhe37AhWPSMAKHdO4BtQQuwV6BAgKEAc#v=onepage&q=sashiko%20farmers&f=false

[2] https://www.athreadedneedle.com/blogs/with-a-threaded-needle/sashiko-kogin-hitomezashi-boro-what-are-we-stitching 

[3] Sashiko Pattern Book for Beginners: A Japanese Embroidery Art of Stitching, Angela Kemp, 2010, pp.10-11

[4] The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook: Patterns, Projects and Inspirations, Susan Briscoe, 2016, pp.8-15

[5] Japanese Immigrant Clothing in Hawaii 1885-1941, Barbara F. Kawakami, 1995

[6] Health Exhibition Literature, Executive Council of the International Health Exhibition, Council for the Society of the Arts, 1884, p.605 | https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2fYTAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA605&dq=sashiko&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiTptDkm-37AhUxTEEAHbStBKcQuwV6BAgEEAY#v=onepage&q=sashiko&f=false

[7] See Fabrics #5

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